Frontline News, Edition 13

COVID-19 NUMBERS ARE TICKING UP AGAIN, SO GET YOUR SHOT.

A MESSAGE FROM 1199SEIU EVP GREG SPELLER

I got my first dose of the Moderna vaccine last week. I walked away feeling fine. And grateful. Like all of us, I am missing so many of the important people and things in my life. 1199ers have surely been through hell over the last year. Recently, we were starting to see the light. We could think with genuine hope about returning to our lives. Grandparents could hug their grandchildren. We could spend time with old friends. No more Zoom birthday parties!

But now, case numbers and hospitalizations are once again starting to tick up. It is certainly nowhere near where we were last year, but it is alarming. In recent weeks, New York State, where I live, and New Jersey, have been leading the country with the highest rates of new cases per capita of COVID-19. We are going in the wrong direction. We need to do everything we can to reverse these trends and keep ourselves, our families, and our communities healthy. I urge you to get vaccinated. I understand there is some hesitance, so learn as much as you can. 1199 continues to provide reliably sourced, up-to-date information about COVID-19 and the vaccines. Visit our website at 1199SEIU.org. And afterwards, make an appointment to get vaccinated. And make sure your friends and family to do so, too. This is the way forward and back to the things and people we love.

STUDY: VACCINES ARE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN PROTECTING FRONTLINE WORKERS

On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that a new study provides clear evidence of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines’ effectiveness in protecting front-line workers in the United States. In a study of about 4,000 healthcare personnel and other essential workers, the CDC found the vaccines reduced the risk of infection by 80 percent after one shot. Protection increased to 90 percent following the second dose. The CDC report is significant, experts said, because it analyzed how well the vaccines worked among a diverse group of front-line working-age adults whose jobs make them more likely to be exposed to the virus and to spread it. The study is also one of the first to estimate vaccine effectiveness among participants against infection—rather than just monitoring for symptomatic cases—including infections that did not result in symptoms. Among 2,479 fully vaccinated people, just three had confirmed infections. Among 477 people who received one dose, eight infections were reported. By comparison, among 994 people who were not vaccinated, 161 developed infections.

No deaths were reported. This is additional compelling evidence that vaccines are safe and effective. And more vaccines are becoming available every day. Encourage all your co-workers, family, and friends to get the shot! To find out where and how to get vaccinated in your region, visit 1199seiu.org/covid19vaccineresources.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO INCREASE VACCINE SUPPLIES TO PHARMACIES

Based on recent vaccination data, most people prefer the convenience of going to their local pharmacy for their COVID-19 vaccination and the Biden Administration intends to shift more vaccines to these locations. According to four senior officials with direct knowledge of the matter, federal data show the retail pharmacy program—which has signed up 21 chains and 17,000 stores—can reach far more Americans in a shorter time. The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program reported on March 11 it had administered nearly 1 million doses in a single day. In the four days following, the program’s pharmacies administered more than 5 million more doses. To vaccinate between 70 and 90 percent of the U.S. population and reach “herd” immunity, vaccines must be safe, effective, and convenient. We know they are safe and effective, and now the Biden Administration is making them more and more convenient.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Q: Can I mix and match vaccines?

A: According to the Centers for Disease Control, every effort should be made to ensure that patients receive the same vaccine for both the first and second dose. This includes providing vaccine record cards, recording vaccination information in patient medical records, and logging information in the immunization information system.

While the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines rely on the same mRNA technology, changing vaccines between your first and second dose is not recommended. (Of the three vaccines now available, only the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is given in a single dose.) After your first dose, you will receive a vaccination card indicating the type of vaccine you were given and the recommended date of the second dose. To avoid delays, set up your second appointment immediately and at the same location where you received your first shot.

COVID-19 INFO AND FAQS

Click here for the most up-to-date questions and information, compiled by the 1199 National Benefit Fund, about COVID-19. This is the first place to go with your questions about COVID-19 and the vaccines and how to get them.

If you have other questions about COVID-19 or the vaccines,